The Eastern Regional Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress, Kojo Danquah, has blamed the current government for neglecting and denying the Eastern region its share of physical development, particularly roads, despite the declaration of phases one and two ‘year of roads’ mantra.
Addressing the media during the second edition of the ‘Eastern Must Know’ press conference in Koforidua, Kojo Danquah noted that the poor state of the entire road network in the region has precipitated a tragic collapse in the cocoa production with Eastern Region output declining from 100,000 metric tonnes in 2016 to 24,000 metric tonnes.
The Eastern Regional Communication Officer highlighted further, “Farmers who depend on these roads to transport their precious cocoa beans are left with their crops rotting away on their farms due to the road’s bad conditions”, Mr. Danquah lamented.
“The journey from farm to town is difficult as the impassable roads cause significant spoilage of farm produce and other goods during transit. Vehicles break down frequently on our roads. Farmers who are the backbone of the local economy are struggling as their produce languishes simply because they are dormant in the field. The inability to transport fresh farm produce efficiently to the markets has led to starveling losses”, explained.
Additionally, Kojo Danquah said, “Fruits, vegetables and other agricultural produce are left rot on the farm contributing to the waste of resource and a dramatic decrease in the food supply”.
He said the government’s failure to address these issues has undermined the agricultural sector and jeopardized Ghana’s national food security.
More importantly, he admonished the need for the government to compensate vehicle owners in the Eastern region for servicing their vehicles daily and sometimes abandoning them after breaking down on unmaintained roads.
“The economic fallout from the deteriorating road is devastating, the poor state of our road has led to a drastic increase in vehicle maintenance, and drivers are forced to contend with frequent breakdowns, tire blowouts, and engine failures, all directly attributable to the crumbling road infrastructure”, the NDC’s Eastern Regional Communication Officer expressed frustration.
He continued, “These incessant repairs have become a financial blackhole draining the resources of local families and businesses”.
Kojo Danquah indicated, “The current state of our roads has become a major impediment pushing businesses to the brink of collapse and undermining the region’s economic viability”.
He argued that the situation has caused massive unemployment and losses among farmers and drivers in the Eastern region hence the NDC as a party demands immediate compensation from the government to farmers and drivers in the Eastern region.
Mr. Danquah noted that the adverse impact of these unemployment crises and the loss of incomes among countless families worsens the poverty situation in the Eastern region.
